The Long Game
by ReesesPieces2112
Summary: In which Maya meets someone new and Josh has to confront his feelings. Summary sucks, I know, I apologize.


**I don't know if I like this so far. But I really like Josh and Maya as a couple. I thought it would be fun to write about Josh having to face his feelings sooner than he thought he would. Let's be real, despite how much Maya likes Josh, she won't hold on forever, and so I came up with this little number.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy even though it's pretty crappy.**

 **Much love,**

 **ReesesPieces2112**

* * *

 **Week One**

Waltzing through the door as he did on many occasion, Joshua Matthews greeted Auggie, Topanga, and Cory. He ruffled up Auggie's hair before giving Topanga a hug and nodding at his older brother.

"Laundry day already?" Topanga joked.

"Nah." Josh scratched the back of his head, glancing around the room. "Where's Riley?"

"In her room." Cory pointed behind him. "Bu-."

Josh made his way to his niece's room before Cory could finish his sentence and knocked on her door. Hearing a faint 'come in', he pushed her door open. "Hey, niece. Hey, Ma-not Maya."

Riley laughed and shook her head, introducing the stranger sitting next to her in the bay window. "This is my friend Amy. We're working on the semester project together."

"Oh." Josh tried to seem disinterested as he asked, "So where is Maya exactly?"

"She got partnered up with Cole." Riley shrugged and turned back to her computer while Amy jotted down notes.

"Cole?" He repeated as if the name was foreign. Who…the hell…was Cole?

"New kid." Maya's voice startled him from behind. She smiled when he jumped and turned to her.

"Oh, hey." Josh almost put a hand to his heart; whether it was beating so rapidly from having been scared or by the sight of Maya in a flannel shirt with torn jeans and beanie, he'll never know.

"Cole Avery is a new kid at school and Riley suggested we make friends with him." Maya clarified as she stepped into Riley's room and made herself comfortable on the bed, giving a small wave to Amy.

"And you chose to be his partner for the semester project?"

"No, Riley just happened to choose Amy first." She playfully glared at her best friend.

"The partners were chosen for us!" Riley defended herself, clearly not understanding that Maya was only kidding.

Josh wasn't sure what to think, or why he suddenly felt the need to ask Maya, "So, the long game?"

"The long game." She agreed with a soft smile. Seeing him relax more than when she first walked in, she scrunched her nose up in confusion; was he okay? Were his classes going well? Was he stressed?

He didn't want to tell her that her confirmation put him at ease. He didn't want to tell her that he felt tense about her and this Cole character spending time together. Because he had no right to feel that way; he was the one who said they lived their lives knowing each other would be there and what happened would happen naturally.

* * *

 **Week Two**

"Ah! Lucas!" Riley screeched as her boyfriend threw her over his shoulder and swung her around; the five of them had been sitting outside Topanga's with Cole and Amy.

Lucas laughed as she kicked her feet and clung to his shirt. Riley had been so focused on her project with Amy that she didn't notice come up from behind her.

"Oh my God, make it stop." Maya playfully threw the crumbles left from her muffin at the couple before turning to Cole and nodding her head in the direction of the couches inside. "We've got a long way to go on the project."

Cole smiled and picked up his backpack to follow her inside. "So, we've got another week to turn it in. I'm sure we'll come up with something."

"So optimistic." She shook her head, laughing and patting his shoulder. "You've got a lot to learn."

He could only grin wider before opening up his books and Maya scooted closer as she didn't bring hers. He handed her his notebook and a pen so she could take notes while he skimmed the page.

Maya hadn't realized that Josh had walked in and stopped in his tracks at the sight of them. She didn't even hear Topanga calling out his name to ask him to lift a much too heavy box off a top shelf in the back.

"Uh, yeah, okay." Josh followed Topanga but glanced back at Maya every few steps to see if she'd noticed him yet. She hadn't.

Ten minutes had passed, then twenty, then thirty, and finally a whole hour had gone by without Maya looking up from that damn book and Josh could only lean against the counter with a glare on his face.

"Josh, you've been cleaning the same spot for an hour now." Topanga leaned next to him, worried that he'd spaced out.

"Oh, sorry." Josh sighed and let go of the dirty rag in his hand. "I just-."

"I know." His sister-in-law nodded thoughtfully while looking at Maya and Cole. "You might want to say something though. You know, like 'Hi, Maya, how are you?'"

"She doesn't even know I'm here."

"She would if you attempted to actually get her attention." Topanga pushed his shoulder gently.

Josh winced as he went around to face Maya and Cole, bending down to her level and tapping on her knee.

Maya whipped her around to face him, caught off guard by how quiet he was. She smiled at him, the same smile that made his heart jump ten feet in the air. "Boing, hey."

"Well, look at that," He grinned up at her, "I'm actually _not_ invisible."

"What?" She couldn't help but laugh and tilt her head to the side.

"I've been here for an hour now," Josh looked at his wrist as if there were a watch there, "and you've yet to say 'hi'."

"It's been an hour?" Maya gaped and looked at Cole only to realize they were already halfway through their book. "Oh, man, time really flies with you, huh?"

"Same with you." Cole nudged her shoulder and closed the book, taking the notes from her. "So, we should meet again tomorrow after school. Your place?"

"Mmm, nah," She shook her head, taking his arm and writing her number on his hand, "call me and we'll meet up at the library."

"Sure." He winked and picked up his backpack, leaving an irritated Josh and an almost impressed Maya.

Josh watched at Maya scoffed and smiled at Cole's brazen actions; no guy had really tried with her before. So, she was genuinely intrigued by him and the fact that she didn't scare him off.

"Hey, Maya." Josh got her attention by tapping her knee once more. When she turned to him, he asked, "The long game?"

Her slight frown and hesitation before she replied with, "the long game," made him uneasy.

* * *

 **Week Three**

"I can't believe we got an 'A'!" Maya was ecstatic as she held the piece of paper in her hands containing a passing grade for the semester. She looked to Cole, who seemed amused by how happy she was.

"Told ya we'd be okay." Cole smiled as she bounced around him. "Wanna celebrate?"

"Heck yeah," She beamed and looped their arms together, pulling him away from the lockers, "let's go down to Topanga's."

"Of course." He let her tug him along, knowing she was excited to show her mom and Topanga. The walk to Topanga's was a quiet one with Maya still buzzing from the news that passing the project meant she'd get all her freshman credits since that class was the only one she'd been struggling with.

"Mom, look!" Maya squealed and pushed the piece of paper into her mother's face. "We got an 'A'!"

"Oh, sweetie, that's great." Katie hugged her daughter tight and patted Cole's shoulder. "Congratulations to both of you."

"Oh, Maya really deserves all the credit." Cole pointed out. "Anyone can write an essay, but she really brought it to life with her illustrations for our presentation."

Maya couldn't help the blush creeping up her cheeks as she smiled and looked to Topanga, her smile instantly fading as she found Josh by her side. "Hey, Josh."

"Maya." Josh gave her a faint smile; she clearly liked this Cole kid and that kid clearly liked her. "Congratulations."

"Uh, so Cole," Topanga walked to him and Maya, "how about anything you want on the house?"

"Oh, thanks Mrs. Matthews, but I really couldn't-." Cole scratched the back of his head nervously; he'd only just begun his friendship with her daughter, he didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage.

"Oh, you can," She smiled warmly at him, "and you will."

Maya nodded at him as he followed Topanga around the counter to pick out some baked good.

"So," Josh stepped in front of her, "fun project?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "it was interesting. I learned a lot more than I thought I would."

"Learned a lot from the research…" He knew he was crossing a line, a line that he created and was now regretting it, "or learned a lot from Cole?"

"Both." Maya glared up at him. "What are you getting at?"

"You like him."

"Yeah, so?"

"So…" Josh clenched his jaw, knowing what her answer would be this time, "the long game, Maya?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She only stared at him; was she still playing the long game?

"No, Josh." She finally said, "No long game."

He closed his eyes and smiled, nodding his head. "Okay."

"We need to talk outside." Maya grabbed his hand and led him out as she noticed Cole, Topanga, and her mother were watching. Once out of earshot, she turned to him. "How long exactly did you think that game would last?"

"Not forever." Josh stuffed his hands into his pockets. "That wouldn't be fair of me. We're living our lives, Maya, and you found a guy you really like, so I'm happy for you."

"I like you, Josh." She whispered and bit her bottom lip. "But I don't want to wait who knows how long. Not when…not when I found someone who likes me back and isn't afraid to show it."

"I like you too, Maya." He clarified because he didn't want her thinking that his feelings may have somehow faded over the last few months. "And maybe I am afraid to show it. Because you're different. You're amazing and talented, and I've never met anyone like you. So yeah, it scares me to have feelings for you and not know how to express them. But he does and you deserve that."

"Josh…"

"It's okay." He lifted his hand and brushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "I'll always play the long game with you, Maya."

Maya closed her eyes as Josh stepped forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her hands almost reached out to dig her fingers into his shirt and hold him there for as long as she could. But he was right; she liked Cole more than she thought she could.


End file.
